ASSESSING NON-REVENUE WATER REDUCTION STRATEGIES BY WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS IN KENYA

Abstract

This study assessed the Non-Revenue Water reduction strategies used by Water Service Providers in Kenya. High NRW affects the financial sustainability of many WSPs in Kenya. This study helped to ascertain the NRW reduction strategies being used and establish the level of NRW reduction strategy implementation. The study also identified the drivers of NRW reduction strategies and attempted to measure their cost effectiveness. The researcher used mixed methods approach in conducting this study. He also used stratified random sampling to select a sample of 61 companies from a target population of 81 active water companies in Kenya. The research design for this study was both descriptive and analytical in nature. A semi structured questionnaire was sent online to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from the respondents and analysed using SPSS. Piloting of the questionnaires was done to establish validity and feasibility of the research instruments. A reliability test was also done on the research instruments using factor method analysis. Four theories were reviewed during the study and the key ones being the Managerial Efficiency Theory and the Theory of Constraints. The findings of the study confirmed that all the NRW reduction strategies are being used by the water companies in Kenya. However, other strategies are widely used more than others. The study findings revealed that seven NRW reduction strategies are fully implemented by most WSPs. The findings also revealed that there are various factors that hamper the full implementation of NRW reduction strategies. The cost effectiveness of the NRW reduction strategies was not measured due to unavailability of data relevant to the determination of Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER). The study recommends that the management should allocate adequate resources and prioritize NRW reduction activities and fully implement the prescribed NRW reduction strategies. The management should also develop policies, procedures and build structures that help in implementation vi of NRW reduction interventions, leverage technology and ensure that the budget making process takes care of all NRW reduction strategies earmarked for implementation and develop a policy that apportions the expenditures for each strategy so that the cost effectiveness of the strategies can be clearly measured.